Paper picker



July 23, 1957 J. L,. KING PAPER PIC-KER Filed Oct. 1, 1954 John L King IN VEN TOR.

BY am flaw; 3m

United States Patent PAPER PICKER John L. King, Arkansas City, Kans. Application October 1, 1954, Serial No. 459,632 1 Claim. (Cl. 294-61) This invention relates to a new and improved wastepaper and trash gathering device.

Heretofore the operator of a paper pickup stick has had to use the hands to push the trash and refuse from the tang of the pickup. This is a very unsanitary and therefore unhealthy means of removing such trash.

Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide a means for gathering trash or paper on a tang or a plurality of tangs and removing the same trash or paper without stooping or squatting on the part of the operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a quick and easy method of removal of this trash and refuse from the tangs of the paper picker.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a means of returning the mechanism to its original pickup position after removal of the trash or paper.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for carrying and a means of hanging the paper picker for storage.

A still further object of this invention is to provide tines that are easily replaceable after having become worn from usage.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the paper picker, in a retracted or pickup position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View, taken along section line 22 of Figure 1, to better show construction and relationship of parts at lower end; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional horizontal view, taken along section line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the paper picker consists of an elongated tubular frame 10, bent at the upper end thereof in the form of a loop handle 12. The lower end of the frame is externally threaded and has removably attached thereto a plate 14. Attached to, extending downwardly and circumferentially spaced upon the face of the plate 14 are a plurality of tines 16. In addition to the tines 16 there is a centrally located tine 18 having its upper end secured to a bushing 20 which, in turn, is secured to the frame 10. The lower ends of the tines 16 and 18 are pointed and lie substantially in the same horizontal plane. Slidably mounted on the tines 16 and 18 is an ejector plate 22. Secured to the ejector plate 22 is a yoke 24 having vertical legs 26, which pass through and are guided by slots 28 in the plate 14 and have their lower ends secured to the plate 22. The upper end of the yoke 24 is in the form of a horizontally disposed web 30.

In order to impart to the yoke 24 a reciprocating motion there is provided operating means 32. The operating means includes a support 34 carried by the upper portion of the frame 10 below the handle 12. The support 34 is secured to the frame 10 by means of a threaded portion 36 of the support 34 which passes through the frame 10 and has a nut 38 disposed thereon. The support 34 projects laterally from frame 10 and is provided with a vertical slot 40 at its outer end. Disposed in the 0 slot 40 and pivotally attached to the support 34 by means 7 of a pin 42 is a lever 44. Normally the lever 44 depends from the support 34 and has an upper portion 46 projecting above the support 34.

Pivotally connected to the upper portion 46 by a pivot pin 48 is a depending upper link 50. The upper link 50 is elongated and pivotally attached to lower link 52 as at 54. The lower link 52 is relatively short and is guided for vertical movement only by a guide bracket 56 secured to an intermediate portion of the frame 10. As is best illustrated in Figure 2, the lower end of link 52 passes through the web 30 and is adjustably secured thereto by opposed nuts 58.

In order that the ejector plate 22 may normally be held in an uppermost position there is provided a spring 60. The spring 60 is secured at its lower end to the links 50 and 52 at the pivot point 54. The support 34 is provided with spaced apertures 62 selectively receiving a hook-shaped upper end 64 of the spring 60 in order to vary the tension of spring 60.

In operating the paper picker, the operator grasps the handle 12 in one hand. When it is desired to pick up a piece of paper, or similar object, the operator thrusts the entire paper picker downwardly and impinges the paper upon the tines 16 and 18. The paper is removed from the tines 16 and 18 by rotating the lever 44 in a clockwise direction to effect a downward stripping motion of the ejector plate 22. Upon releasing the lever 44 the spring 60 carries the entire movable mechanism back to a retracted position.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A paper picker comprising a tubular frame member, a handle formed integral with said frame member and disposed at the upper end thereof, a circular disk attached to the lower end of said frame member, a plurality of tines extending from said disk for picking up paper, a circular ejector plate having a plurality of apertures receiving said tines and underlying said disk, a yoke having legs attached to said plate, said yoke extending upward from said plate, said disk having open sided slots provided on the outer circumference thereof for guiding longitudinal sliding movement of the legs of said yoke, the upper end of said yoke being in the form of an offset horizontal web, a lower link rigidly attached to said web, a guide bracket attached to said frame adjacent said lower link, said bracket slidably receiving said lower link, a laterally projecting support attached to said frame at the upper end thereof, an operating lever pivotally mounted :on said support, an upper link disposed between said lever and said lower link, said lever raising and lowering said upper link, lower link, yoke and ejector plate during pivotal movement thereof for selectively forcing paper off of said tines and retracting the links, yoke and plate to expose the tines for picking up paper, said guide bracket guiding said lower link and yoke in a direction parallel to said frame thereby preventing binding between the relatively longitudinally moving parts, and a spring attached to said lower link and the support for normally urging all of the movable parts to a retracted or pick up position.

273,560 Lowe Mar. 6, 1883 Schulthess Mar. 14, 1950 

